Emotional blackmail is used by someone that has some sort of importance in your life. That person can be a spouse, sibling, parent, boss, co-worker, etc. As the subtitle suggests, they use fear, obligation, and/or guilt to get what they want. Susan Forward, Ph.D., describes the various forms of emotional blackmail and gives numerous real-life examples of people in her practice that have experienced emotional blackmail.

The answer to breaking the cycle is by changing your response to the individual with one sentence at a time. Standing your ground, building your confidence and maintaining integrity are vital to breaking the cycle. Forward gives tools (strategies and suggested sentences) to assist you in creating healthier relationships.

It has taken me over two months to read this book. There was just so much information to process that I decided to read it in bite-sized portions. I found it to be an excellent source to give insight on what may be transpiring in any awkward relationship. The majority of the book is identifying what type of blackmailer you may have, while the actual solution to rectifying the situation is the minority - and that solution isn't rocket science either. However, when someone is stuck in a relationship like this, it is often difficult to identify what is really happening and it is extremely difficult to break free due to the patterns developed. Forward's suggestions are simple, doable, and most importantly, life-changing solutions. (4.5/5)

Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..." ( )